Mining apparatus



(No Model.)

C. BLAGBURN. MINING APPARATUS.

Patented Nov. 26, 1895.

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WMe/Mw? mfp/ww KVA/wm- AN DREW ELGFAMAM, PHOTO-LITRO. WASHINGTON D CUNITED STATES APATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES BLAGBURN, OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA.

MINING APPARATUS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 550,244, dated November26, 1,895.

Application filed December 31, 1894:. Serial No. 533,385. (No model.)

T0 all whom it may concern:

Beit known that I, CHARLES BLAGBURN, a subject of the Queen of GreatBritain, residing at San Francisco, in the county of San Francisco andState of California, have invented certain new and useful Improvementsin. Mining Apparatus; and I do hereby declare that the following is afull, clear, and exact description thereof.

My invention relates to an improved apparatus for raising or forcingwater, gravel, sand, 'or other material under pressure and is moreespecially designed for use in mining operations for elevatinginaccessible auriferous material to a position in which it can betreated for the extraction of gold.

In mining operations at the present day,` and especially ingravel-mining,whe1e waterelevators are employed to raise the material,the most difficult problem to solve is that of obtaining a sufficientwater-supply at a sufficient pressure and at reasonable cost. Many mineswould be productive and yield large returns were it not for thedisproportionate expense of working them, and one of the principal itemsin the expense-account is the great cost of water. Vater is nowfurnished to miners by companies organized for that purpose at rateswhich are always high and sometimes prohibitive. This water is obtainedusually from supplies in the mountains and is delivered at lowerelevations by iiumes to different localities where it is used, reachingthe mine at high pressure, although in comparatively small volume. Thesupply of water being limited by its high cost, work in such minesprogresses slowly on account of the limited capacity of thewater-elevators now used, which have an excessive waterpressure but aninadequate volume to raise the material in sufficient quantity, and thevaluable results of the mining operations are very small relatively totheir cost.

The object of my invention is to-take advantage of such a limited supplyof water at high pressure by utilizing it not for mining operationsdirectly, but for inducing an ample supply of water at a lower but stillsufficient pressure from some other source. I am thus enabled to supplywater in sufficient quantities to greatly increase the amount of workperformed without adding to the expense now incurred for performing avery much smaller amount.

A clear comprehension of my invention and means for carrying it out willbe obtained from the following description, which should be read inconnection with the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is partlyan elevation and partly a section representing the use of my inventionin connection with a so-called bar of auriferous gravel. Fig. 2 is alongitudinal section of the pipes shown in Fig. 1.

In the drawings is represented the proiile `of a caon or ravine supposedto have a stream at the bottom. In Fig. l the aurifer ous bar or depositis assumed to be in or near the bed of the stream and the point to whichwater and gravel are to be raised and where the latter is to be washedis above the wall of the canyon.

A represents a sump or sink in the riverbed, formed of two chambers orcompartments A and A2, separated by a partition C and built of timberssuitably braced so as to form a rigid structure. The chamber A has anopen bottom to admit the water from the riverf The chamber A2 is closedat the bottom and forms 'the receptacle for the auriferous gravel dumpedor shoveled into it.

B represents the supply-pipe,through which the stream of water from theiiume is delivered at high pressure. This pipe extends down into thechamber A and through an opening in the end of the discharge-pipe D,which, as awhole, extends through the cham ber A2 and up the sides ofthe caon, where it enters a flumeE, leading to the point where thegravel is to be washed. The pipe D is provided with a branch D',extending below the water-line in the sump, and the end of which is opento permit the water to enter freely. The pipe D is composed of severalsections proportioned in number to its length.` In advance of thedischarge end of the pipe B the pipe D is contracted, as at d, and .isthen expanded to form a ball for a lswiveled nozzle-pipe D2. This nozzlein turn enters the sectional pipe D3, forming a continuation of pipe Dand extending up the side of the caon. The first section of pipe D3 ismade tapering, so as to form a contracted portion d', above which thediameter maybe uniform IOO throughout its remaining length. The nozzleis partly surrounded by a half-section of pipe d2, which provides aninlet-opening d3 for the contents of the chamber A2. The branch D in thesump is preferably inclosed by a box F to prevent sand and sediment frombeing drawn into the pipe D.

In the operation of these hydraulic connections the stream of Water fromthe distant supply, passing at a high pressure through the pipe B, isinjected into the dischargepipe of greater diameter. The vacuum producedby the force of the jet induces a iioW of Water from the sump throughthe branch D', which mingles with the high-pressure stream, producing acombined iioW of much greater volume, although of lower pressure. Thepressure, however, is still amply sufficient in the nozzle-pipe to drawthe gravel from the chamber A2 through the opening d3, and also to forcethe Water and gravel together up through the pipe Dgto the properpointabove the caon. IVith the greatly increased supply of Water acorrespondingly greater quantity of gravel can be elevated and Worked ina given time, and so, at the same expenditure for Water as isnowrequired, the amount of material and Water supplied can be increasedup to the extreme inductive limit of the high-pressure stream.

It is evident, Without special illustration, that the method abovedescribed can be used in hydraulic mining with the ordinary monitor orgiant. Indeed, the apparatus shown in Figs. land 2 (supposing the pipingabove the nozzle D2 removed) can be operated as a hydraulic monitor,sufficient pressure being afforded by the Water from the distant source,and the volume required for hydraulic mining being induced from theadjacent source in the same Way, as before described.

That I claim isl. The combination of a hydraulic gravel elevator With aWater lifter for increasing the volume of Water for ejecting or liftingsuch gravel or similar material, substantially as described.

2. An apparatus for raising gravel or other similar material, consistingof a compound hydraulic elevator having an injecting nozzle with asuction branch leading to a separate Water supply, and having a secondnozzle leading into a chamberl having an opening to receive gravel orsimilar material, and a pipe connected to said chamber, through whichsaid gravel is elevated, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have allixed my signature, in presence of twowitnesses, this 18th day of December, 1894.

CHARLES BLAGBURN. lVitnesses:

L. XV. SEELY, C. W. SKIDMORE.

